Author: Bjørn Heidenstrøm

@heidenstrom on Twitter/Instagram

Then he said; I have a gun and can shoot you now! #paddling #backpacking

Bjørn Heidenstrøm 5 Comments

It happend some hours ago and I hope some of my new friends in Orsovo can share this with Iron Gate, and discuss this. I want. You want happy people on your Donau..

Iv been crossing 40 boarders with a cycle or kayak alone. Im not a rookie. Tell me What I did wrong, I have no clue, so I can pas it on to the next man who want to see this part of Europa from a kayak. What you can do different next time. I believe you can; 1. I have taken initiative to get good information of how to act on Donau. Last time yesterday by the boarder police in Orsova. 2. I got the exact point of how to enter Iron Gate nr 1 ( He Derdap 1 ) and I paddled in to that point. 3. A person with no uniform and one with uniform speak no english, but I understand I can not reach the ladder because to much garbage in water. They point west. 4. Iv learned of your police that Im now in your water and can not change to Serbian side ( that takes a lot of paper work ) so I paddle out to the pier they are pointing at. Drags my board and backpack out of the water and goes towards south. This is what Iv done ca 40 times in Germany. 5. Again the man with no uniform points to Serbia, I say that I only have papers for Romania, have checked out of Serbia. He points south say red light. So I go for the red light. And by the way,what a bad weather, I was cold as a snowball… 😉 6. Im visual for the new man in uniform on 30 meter. I carry my paddling board and my backpack. I have a Norwegian flag on my cap and on my back. 7. Interesting move from your Iron Gate man, that you need to discuss. On 10 meter he say something in Romanian, I respond with “sorry only speak english unt kleine German. On 8 meter he takes right hand on his pistol and say “I have a gun and can shoot you now!” 8. I stop and he release the strap around the pistol and point at my diving knife and say “you have a weapon, remove it” and I want bore you with every detail, but when the strap is removed the situation is sharp and Im waiting for the next Rambo move that he think my paddling board maybe is a bomb… I unstrap, and say,as you know, its if I get hooked by the fishing nets in the river. The visual one or the hidden….. 9. It takes 3 minutes and i have 7 people around me. I show al my papers, passport, and ask if they could call the police in Orsova. Im one hour in the rain. Thats okay. Im Norwegian. 10. Im helped to the south end and paddle on…

So, thank you for the attention Iron Gate one. My suggestions; put up a sign if no paddler can go on the pier. Put up a sign that lead the way where you want us. Do not push hand to gun and/or use words as “have gun can shot”. Do that if you believe you have a sharp situation, and if a paddler looks dangerous to you, tell us how to behave, dress, or use signs.

Im used with guns, but the next man could be a Swedish advocate, and will die on the spot. And hart attacks on the Iron Gate will make bad times for your touris director. It could be messy.

So, and now, give me your punches. Ill learn and pas the to the next paddler. They will come to visit your beautiful country, history, culture and people. Thats a good income..

To the hot head with the gun. You turned great after 30 minutes. Its water under the bridge. You can have a BBQ In my garden. Come without guns 😉 You can test the ones I have. You can even hunt a Moose, but Ill tell you when to hold the trigger, and when to push to go for 400 kg of meat 😉

And please tell Iron Gate two that Im coming…

Romania, more tourists, thats the goal.

And all on Iron Gate have to donate to my Red Cross, Missing children project. One Euro each. If you dont, my Norwegian Viking mates will come with their ships down Donau 🙂

Noroc !

From my Nokia. Im @heidenstrom on Twitter and @Rhine @Main or @Donau 😉

The only real backpacing paddler are sharing !!

Bjørn Heidenstrøm

Backpacking is that cool word, that cool thing to do, and its also a image. Iv met backpackers who stay in the most expensive hotels, but hang out on the city shouting “Im a backpacker and living the free life” Nice, but…. Lets go the free soul, the real deal, the old school backpacker and one of my heroes; Jugoslav is his name and he did Germany to Bulgaria, on a half Euro pr day budget. Thats the real one. You need to follow his moves…. On http://kayakingfairytale.com From my Nokia. Im @heidenstrom on Twitter and @Rhine @Main or @Donau 😉

Costin Olentia 430 say .. #paddling #donau

Bjørn Heidenstrøm

Costin say; I use windfinder.com for Negotin (Serbia) which is the closest point to your location now ( Orsovo/,Romania ) and it says: Before noon wind from ENE up to 9 km/h. In the afternoon, the same direction but intensifies up to 19km/h. Rain almost all day long. Temperature 12degrees C maximum. Not a wonderful day for paddling. :o(

From my Nokia. Im @heidenstrom on Twitter and @Rhine @Main or @Donau 😉

In the hands of the Romanian police again…

Bjørn Heidenstrøm

0720 GMT, making a deal with Ralf. The waves are getting higher you’ll follow me on your binoculars, yes ! Nice !Thanks 0730 GMT, paddling out of Ralfs Casa Verde, Orsova. 0810, wind and waves escalating, Donau gets white, Im using 100% of my engine to keep the balance, waves cutting over my board, dry suit on. 0820, cant move forward, coing to shore. Calling Ralf; “can I hire you, your Land Rover,and a bed for the night?” Ralfs answer; Yes of course, I was wondering when you would call…” 0840, climbing up the forest wall and gets two choices. Right; angry Rumanian dog. Left; 4 meter to climb down to road. I go left.. 0842, two men on the road showing signs and one saying “Romania boarder police, where are you from, and why you are in cliff with kayak ?” 0910, invited to se small parts og their policeships, and with pride telling how they minitor the waterway. They tell the paddler that he did right decision. Donau is angry today, more angry later. 1030, back at Ralfs Casa Verde, reading weather forecast. Donau will be more angry today. 1031, I miss my Marianne, my two kids, my dog Bonzo, my cat Kano.

Dear Donau, I love your style, but give me a way to to finish. I will speak highly about you. I respect you. I think you are beautiful, but I want to come further. To reach 4000 and to see what I can do for The Red Cross. Most of all to hug my closest.

Dear boarder police. Thanks for stopping me with style and balanced authority, I like your style and respect the black metall piece you have on your right hip. 😉 and thanks for showing me parts of your ship.

My mate, my Facebook friend, please consider to donate 1 Euro to the Red Cross, missing children. Link on my site.. From my Nokia. Im @heidenstrom on Twitter and @Rhine @Main or @Donau 😉

The best place to stay in Orsova, perhaps whole Romania…

Bjørn Heidenstrøm

Whats the chance of paddling around the corner in the inner part of Romani and find a mini bay, 2 meter to the bed, with a paddler whos the owner, whos also a German, that speaks brilliant English, with low price for the bed, who drives you to all the tools you need for the next 1600 km, who gives you maps, who gives you a perfect exchange on the Euro, that drives up to the mountains, who have a own sharp trained gard dog (Max), and has a super Romanian wife that makes food for kings like you and me…. Perfect build up before the stretch to The Iron Door tomorrow !!. Casaverde_orsova@yahoo.com is the answer. And – Iv paddled over 2000 standing up, and for the record…, I did two meters in Ralfs kayak before a full flick and a refreshing swim in Donau… He’s 50% eskimo.

From my Nokia. Im @heidenstrom on Twitter and @Rhine @Main or @Donau 😉